Emergency housing from the council
How to get emergency housing
Start by contacting the council to make a homeless application.
Ask for help before you need emergency housing if you can.
The council could help you stay in your home or find you somewhere else to live so you do not become homeless.
Every council should have a daytime number and an emergency out of hours number.
How to contact your council's homeless team
What is your location?
What to expect
If you contact the council's homeless team during working hours, they should check if you need emergency housing that day.
If they do not ask you about this, tell them:
you need emergency housing
why your situation is urgent
if you're in priority need
Outside of working hours, you might be put through to an out of hours call centre or duty social worker. Ask to speak to the person who deals with out of hours homeless applications.
Who can get emergency housing
The council must give you emergency housing if they think you might:
have children, be pregnant, be at risk of domestic abuse, or have another priority need
Contact a Shelter adviser if you think the council should give you emergency housing but they turn you down.
Last updated: 12 January 2024
